My Leica M6 Titan is For Sale!

 

My Leica M6 Titan (factory titanium coated, ca. 1992)

 

(Click Here) to read the ad on rangefinderforum. All the details are there. I bought this from KEH last year in EX condition. If you know KEH, you know that means it's really nice. There is one ding, highlighted and labeled in one of the pics in the ad.

 

This is a wonderful user camera. I would keep it, but I just got another, in order to get the matching titanium lens. The serial number dates match between the new body and lens, so I'll keep the second one.

 

Oh yeah. The same ad contains a near-new silver grip for the Leica M8. Nearly half-price from new.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Introducing My Leica Monochrom ANALOG!

One of the very few cameras that I currently lust over is the Leica Monochrom. It's one of those cameras that only those close to Leica will understand at all. I mean, really. A $7,000 camera that only shoots black and white? But, what a job it does with it. I was convinced of that by David Farkas, one of the LHSA (International Leica Society) Directors at the annual meeting in San Francisco. It really is somewhat of a super-camera, with astounding dynamic range and spatial resolution.

 

I decided to select one of my Leica M film cameras to treat as a Monochrom for a while, to evaluate whether I'm really going to enjoy monochrome-only photography with any camera. I do absolutely love shooting black and white, with either film or digital.

 

I did a similar thing a couple of years ago when considering the purchase of a Leica M9. I committed to shooting my M8 a lot, to help me decide whether or not the M9 was a good investment; it was. I remain happy with that decision.

 

I think referring to this camera as my Monochrom Analog is apt for two reasons: 1) it is the closest thing I have to a camera analogous to the Monochrom, really only because I've decided to commit to shooting only black and white with it for a while, and 2) because analog can be interpreted to mean "non-digital." Both are fitting.

 

My Leica Monochrom Analog, by Reed A. George

 

I shot this picture with my iPad camera, since my computer is currently down for file transfer / recovery operations. So, it doesn't make me unhappy to shoot a film camera for a while. It's my silent protest against the digital world (not digital photography in particular, just my own dependence on digital files for basically everything I do).

 

My Monochrom Analog is made up of my M4-2 film body (my first Leica ever), which is definitely in user condition (meaning it has some cosmetic bumps, scratches, and peeling Vulcanite, but is completely 100% functional), a Voigtlander VCII exposure meter (mounted in the hot shoe), a Leica yellow filter (for when I want to increase sky contrast) and a recently-acquired Leica grip. Quite a nice little package, I must say.

 

I loaded up a roll of Kodak Tmax 400 film in it today, and got outside in the unseasonably nice weather here in Virginia. We'll see how I did in a week or so when I have the film processing done!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Selling My Leica M8

I guess the M9 has a hold on me. I'm selling my Leica M8, which just arrived back today from a check-up at Leica, which includes one year of coverage.
 

My M8 For Sale

 

It's used, but very lightly. No scratches or dents, laminate still on bottom plate. Service included new skin, CLA, meter system check, switch cleaning, rangefinder adj., CDD position/tilt adj., clean CCD, pixel/column restoration, repair/adjust motor coupling, clean and adj. for good working order. Clean bill of health signed 9/13/12.

 
 

I'm asking $2200, and I will pay the Paypal fees (continental US only, please). Shipping at cost.

 
It's a beauty, and takes wonderful pictures. Many more pics on my post at getdpi.
 
(Click Here) to see all the pics.
 
I also have an as-new grip for the M8 for sale, which I just bought in August, 2012. $160.
 
DMC-365.blogspot.com
 

So What About the New Panasonic DMC-G5?

Well, I've written a little about it, but have not invested in one.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5
Image Source: shop.panasonic.com
 
The SoundImagePlus blog is covering the G5 in an ongoing series (four installments so far).
 
(Click Here) to see SoundImagePlus' review series on the G5. There are some nice sample images there, as well.
 
Here's what I've learned so far:

• (+) Better grip than the DMC-G3, which is my current camera. Not surprising. The G3 is weak in this area. Can someone make a nice grip attachment for the G3?
• (-) Newly-redesigned menus (sigh). This would mean working through another long set of menus, and writing a new eBook to figure out how to set it up.
• (+/- no advantage) According to SoundImagePlus, essentially identical high iso performance to the G3 and GX1.
• (+) Electronic shutter mode for silent shutter release.
• (-) Different battery from the G3, which means carrying another charger.

So, here's where I am on this camera, at the moment. If I didn't already own the G3 (two, actually), would I buy the G5 instead? Yes.
 
Will I replace a G3 with a G5? No. There's just not enough improvement there to make the switch.
 
Of course, the buzz now is all about what the DMC-GH3, supposed to be announced this month, will bring. That may be a different story for me.
 
DMC-365.blogspot.com